The main stone Basilica with slate roof and magnificent stenciled glass windows was erected circa 1868 and a Victorian Style Rectory was added shortly after. The church is owned by Unitarian Universalist Society and is functioning as a home for several congregations, as well as a concert hall.

The educational institution, Oholei Torah, is a yeshiva for male students in the Chabad-Lubavitch Movement, drawing students from around the world, with a strong emphasis on the teachings of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson.

The Breakers is a new building complex consisting of seventy-five residential units with a number of different configurations: some of the larger units are single-family townhouses at the water’s edge; others are two-family townhouses.

Adjacent to the Bridgefront project, this project is a former industrial building that has been converted into residential lofts. Within the lobby are two art installations: (1) a stone bench designed in the shape of a ripple, suggesting the nearby East River; and (2) a framed section of the original brick, interior wall that maintains the worn look of the bricks and is lit in the fashion of a framed painting.

The Park Slope Terrace project is located on a street with traditional 19th century Brooklyn townhouses. For security reasons, the client requested a single corridor building, but the design of the façade with its vertical bays, creates the illusion of several smaller-scale structures that nicely fit into the neighborhood.

Elena Kalman, AIA, designed Park Circle with a zig-zag plan that enables a larger portion of the apartments than would normally be possible to face the park across the street and enjoy an eastern exposure to sunlight.

Ridgewood Properties is a former 7-story factory building that has been converted into 50 loft -style condominium units. Some of the original industrial design features and interior finishes have been preserved.

The house plan of Residence-L was influenced by the character of the property, which opens in a fan-like fashion towards the rear yard. The land descends from front to rear, revealing a wide lawn with tall trees along the perimeter.

Residence B is fully integrated into its natural landscape. Sloping roofs create a variety of angles and incorporate dormers that reduce the height of the building. The use of wood shingles and natural stone further connects the house to nature.

Elena Kalman turned the interior courtyard/garden into a family room and incorporated its stone garden walls and randomly shaped stone pavers into its foyer design. She also carefully redesigned the existing portions of the house to preserve the best features of the original architecture, including: its large glass sliding panels, its roof overhangs facing south and its abundant, built-in shelving.

The front façade, approached by a long, winding road nestled in the surrounding woods, reveals a playful take on a traditional country cottage. The hand-modeled ceramic plaque (made by the house owner) located over the entryway contains a depiction of four fish and represent the clients four granddaughters.

Residence R is situated on a street in Newton, MA, a neighborhood in Boston where most of the homes are classic Tudors. When the clients asked Elena to design a new residence for them, Elena was faced with the challenge of creating contextual architecture without falsifying the age of the new structure.